Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 08-20-08, Mem. St. Bernard, Abbot & Doctor/Church

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | New American Bible

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August 20, 2008

Memorial of Saint Bernard,                                     abbot and doctor of the Church

Reading 1 Responsorial Psalm Gospel

Reading 1
Ez 34:1-11

The word of the Lord came to me:
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel,
in these words prophesy to them to the shepherds:
Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel
who have been pasturing themselves!
Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep?
You have fed off their milk, worn their wool,
and slaughtered the fatlings,
but the sheep you have not pastured.
You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick
nor bind up the injured.
You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost,
but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally.
So they were scattered for the lack of a shepherd,
and became food for all the wild beasts.
My sheep were scattered
and wandered over all the mountains and high hills;
my sheep were scattered over the whole earth,
with no one to look after them or to search for them.

Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
As I live, says the Lord GOD,
because my sheep have been given over to pillage,
and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast,
for lack of a shepherd;
because my shepherds did not look after my sheep,
but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep;
because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD:
Thus says the Lord GOD:
I swear I am coming against these shepherds.
I will claim my sheep from them
and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep
so that they may no longer pasture themselves.
I will save my sheep,
that they may no longer be food for their mouths.

For thus says the Lord GOD:
I myself will look after and tend my sheep.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness will follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Gospel
Mt 20:1-16

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o’clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’

So they went off.
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o’clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o’clock,
he found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.’
When those who had started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’
He said to one of them in reply,
‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

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"The Baptist Press" vs. Saint Bernard

St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Angelus, August 20, 2006

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux Abbot, Doctor of the Church

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The Memorare

St. Bernard of Clairvaux composed the famous prayer
to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary known as The Memorare

Remember REMEMBER, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Memorare MEMORARE, O piissima Virgo Maria, non esse auditum a saeculo, quemquam ad tua currentem praesidia, tua implorantem auxilia, tua petentem suffragia, esse derelictum. Ego tali animatus confidentia, ad te, Virgo Virginum, Mater, curro, ad te venio, coram te gemens peccator assisto. Noli, Mater Verbi, verba mea despicere; sed audi propitia et exaudi. Amen.

[Salvation]

 

The Immaculate Heart [of Mary]

August Devotion: The Immaculate Heart

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated (and not adored as the Sacred Heart of Jesus is) because it is united to her person: and as the seat of her love (especially for her divine Son), virtue, and inner life. Such devotion is an incentive to a similar love and virtue.

This devotion has received new emphasis in this century from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offenses given to her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart.

On October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly through the month of August.

INVOCATIONS

O heart most pure of the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for me from Jesus a pure and humble heart.

Sweet heart of Mary, be my salvation.

ACT OF CONSECRATION
Queen of the most holy Rosary, help of Christians, refuge of the human race, victorious in all the battles of God, we prostrate ourselves in supplication before thy throne, in the sure hope of obtaining mercy and of receiving grace and timely aid in our present calamities, not through any merits of our own, on which we do not rely, but only through the immense goodness of thy mother's heart. In thee and in thy Immaculate Heart, at this grave hour of human history, do we put our trust; to thee we consecrate ourselves, not only with all of Holy Church, which is the mystical body of thy Son Jesus, and which is suffering in so many of her members, being subjected to manifold tribulations and persecutions, but also with the whole world, torn by discords, agitated with hatred, the victim of its own iniquities. Be thou moved by the sight of such material and moral degradation, such sorrows, such anguish, so many tormented souls in danger of eternal loss! Do thou, O Mother of mercy, obtain for us from God a Christ-like reconciliation of the nations, as well as those graces which can convert the souls of men in an instant, those graces which prepare the way and make certain the long desired coming of peace on earth. O Queen of peace, pray for us, and grant peace unto the world in the truth, the justice, and the charity of Christ.

Above all, give us peace in our hearts, so that the kingdom of God may spread its borders in the tranquillity of order. Accord thy protection to unbelievers and to all those who lie within the shadow of death; cause the Sun of Truth to rise upon them; may they be enabled to join with us in repeating before the Savior of the world: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will."

Give peace to the nations that are separated from us by error or discord, and in a special manner to those peoples who profess a singular devotion toward thee; bring them back to Christ's one fold, under the one true Shepherd. Obtain full freedom for the holy Church of God; defend her from her enemies; check the ever-increasing torrent of immorality; arouse in the faithful a love of purity, a practical Christian life, and an apostolic zeal, so that the multitude of those who serve God may increase in merit and in number.

Finally, even as the Church and all mankind were once consecrated to the Heart of thy Son Jesus, because He was for all those who put their hope in Him an inexhaustible source of victory and salvation, so in like manner do we consecrate ourselves forever to thee also and to thy Immaculate Heart, O Mother of us and Queen of the world; may thy love and patronage hasten the day when the kingdom of God shall be victorious and all the nations, at peace with God .and with one another, shall call thee blessed and intone with thee, from the rising of the sun to its going down, the everlasting "Magnificat" of glory, of love, of gratitude to the Heart of Jesus, in which alone we can find truth, life, and peace. — Pope Pius XII

IN HONOR OF THE IMMACULATE HEART
O heart of Mary, mother of God, and our mother; heart most worthy of love, in which the adorable Trinity is ever well-pleased, worthy of the veneration and love of all the angels and of all men; heart most like to the Heart of Jesus, of which thou art the perfect image; heart, full of goodness, ever compassionate toward our miseries; deign to melt our icy hearts and grant that they may be wholly changed into the likeness of the Heart of Jesus, our divine Savior. Pour into them the love of thy virtues, enkindle in them that divine fire with which thou thyself dost ever burn. In thee let Holy Church find a safe shelter; protect her and be her dearest refuge, her tower of strength, impregnable against every assault of her enemies. Be thou the way which leads to Jesus, and the channel, through which we receive all the graces needful for our salvation. Be our refuge in time of trouble, our solace in the midst of trial, our strength against temptation, our haven in persecution, our present help in every danger, and especially) at the hour of death, when all hell shall let loose against u its legions to snatch away our souls, at that dread moment; that hour so full of fear, whereon our eternity depends. An,; then most tender virgin, make us to feel the sweetness of thy motherly heart, and the might of thine intercession with Jesus, and open to us a safe refuge in that very fountain of mercy, whence we may come to praise Him with thee in paradise, world without end. Amen.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

Sacred Heart Of Jesus

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Blessed be the Most Loving Heart and Sweet Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the most glorious Virgin Mary, His Mother, in eternity and forever. Amen. ....Only the Heart of Christ who knows the depths of his Father's love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way ----From the Catechism. P:1439 From the depth of my nothingness, I prostrate myself before Thee, O Most Sacred, Divine and Adorable Heart of Jesus, to pay Thee all the homage of love, praise and adoration in my power. Amen. - - St. Margaret Mary Alacoque The prayer of the Church venerates and honors the Heart of Jesus just as it invokes his most holy name. It adores the incarnate Word and his Heart which, out of love for men, he allowed to be pierced by our sins. Christian prayer loves to follow the way of the cross in the Savior's steps.-- >From the Catechism. P: 2669 The Salutation to the Heart of Jesus and Mary   An Offering of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Novena Prayer to Sacred Heart  of Jesus Prayer to the Wounded Heart of Jesus   Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart   Meditation & Novena Prayer on the Sacred Heart Beads to the Sacred Heart		Novena Prayer to the Immaculate Heart of Mary   A Solemn Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary   The Daily Offering to the  Immaculate Heart of Mary   Exaltation of the Immaculate  Heart of Mary   Prayer to the Blessed Virgin

The Holy Heart of Mary Is, After the Heart of Jesus, the Most Exalted Throne of Divine Love
Let us recollect that God has given us the feast of the most pure Heart of the Blessed Virgin so that we may render on that day all the respect, honor and praise that we possibly can. To enkindle this spirit within us let us consider our motivating obligations.

The first is that we ought to love and honor whatever God loves and honors, and that by which He is loved and glorified. Now, after the adorable Heart of Jesus there has never been either in heaven or on earth, nor ever will be, a heart which has been so loved and honored by God, or which has given Him so much glory as that of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Never has there been, nor will there ever be a more exalted throne of divine love. In that Heart divine love possesses its fullest empire, for it ever reigns without hindrance or interruption, and with it reign likewise all the laws of God, all the Gospel maxims and every Christian virtue.

This incomparable Heart of the Mother of our Redeemer is a glorious heaven, a Paradise of delights for the Most Holy Trinity. According to St. Paul, the hearts of the faithful are the dwelling place of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself assures us that the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost take up Their abode in the hearts of those who love God. Who, therefore, can doubt that the Most Holy Trinity has always made His home and established the reign of His glory in an admirable and ineffable manner in the virginal Heart of her who is the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, the Spouse of the Holy Ghost, who herself loves God more than all other creatures together?

How much then are we not obliged to love this exalted and most lovable Heart?

— St. John Eudes

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

Saturdays and the Immaculate Heart of Mary [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]

The Brown Scapular (Catholic Caucus)

The History of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Catholic Caucus)

Homilies preached by Father Robert Altier on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Marian Associations Unite to Celebrate Immaculate Heart

Solemnity Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, AUGUST 22ND

Devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary

[Salvation]

AUGUST 2008

General:
That the human family may learn to respect God’s plan for the world and become ever more aware that Creation is God’s great gift.

Mission:
That the answer of the entire people of God to the common calling to holiness and mission may be promoted and fostered by means of careful discernment of charisms and constant commitment to spiritual and cultural formation

[Salvation]

From: Ezekiel 34:1-11

Oracle against the shepherd of Israel

---

[1] The word of the Lord came to me: [2] ”Son of man, prophesy against the
shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus
says the Lord God: Ho, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves!
Should not shepherds feed the sheep? [3] You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves
with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. [4] The
weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the crippled you
have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not
sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. [5] So they were
scattered, because there was no shepherd; and they became food for all the wild
beasts. [6] My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and
on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with
none to search or seek for them.

[7] ”Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: [5] As I live, says the
Lord God, because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become
food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd; and because my shep-
herds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves,
and have not fed my sheep; [9] therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the
Lord: [10] Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I
will require my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep; no
longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their
mouths, that they may not be food for them.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

34:1-31. In some Sumerian and Egyptian texts the image of the shepherd is
sometimes applied to leading men and gods. In the Bible it is often applied to
kings (1 Kings 22:17), perhaps because David began life as a shepherd (1 Sam
17:34; Ps 78:70-72), and to the Lord (cf. Ps 23:1-6; 80:2-3). The prophets, par-
ticularly Jeremiah, use the image when talking about rulers, be they kings or
priests (cf Jer 2:8; 10:21; 25:34-36; Zech 11:4-17). In this first address to the
exiles, Ezekiel talks about bad shepherds, that is, the evil rulers who led the
people into the disaster of the exile (vv. 1-10) — and, by contrast, he speaks of
the Lord, the supreme shepherd who takes over the reins of government to rule
his people without intermediaries (vv. 11-22), and of the new messiah-ruler whom
God himself will place at their head: he will he their new shepherd, David, who
will lead his flock to the best pastures (vv. 23-31).

Jesus found this a very appropriate image for explaining his role as Messiah and
Saviour (in 10:1-18) and as Judge at the end of time (cf. Mt 25:31-46). Moreover,
he confirmed his words by actions. When, at the multiplication of the loaves, he
gathers those who have followed him (they are “like sheep without a shepherd”:
Mk 6:34: cf. Ezek 34:5), and nourishes them with bread and with the word of his
teaching, he is fulfilling this prophecy of Ezekiel which promises a new king, a
true shepherd, and a new Covenant. Jesus is, then, the shepherd who assem-
bles all mankind to lead it to salvation: “He is the one who has gathered toge-
ther into one flock all the holy sheep from all the nations under heaven, without
neglecting any of the peoples of the earth: he carries out every day what he
once promised, when he said: There are other sheep, that are not of this flock,
and these too I will tend, and they will listen to my voice, and there will be one
flock, and there will be one shepherd” (St Leo the Great, Sermones, 63, 7). And
as John Paul II teaches: “The figure of Jesus Christ as shepherd of the Church,
his flock, takes up and represents in new and more evocative terms the same
content as that of Jesus Christ as head and servant. Fulfilling the prophetic pro-
clamation of the Messiah and saviour joyfully announced by the psalmist and
the prophet Ezekiel (cf. Ps 22-23; Ezek 34:11ff), Jesus presents himself as
‘the good shepherd’ (Jn 10:11, 14), not only of Israel but of all humanity (cf. Jn
10:16). His whole life is a continual manifestation of his ‘pastoral charity’” (Pas-
tores dabo vobis, 22).

34:1-10. As is usual in condemnatory oracles, the charges are mentioned first
(vv. 2 6) and then comes the sentence, which begins with the usual “Therefore”
(vv. 7-10). The rulers of the people (cf. 23:23-31), that is, the princes, priests,
elders and professional prophets, have exploited the people and sought their
own gain. What Ezekiel says here carries a message for those who hold office
in Christian communities: “In the Church of Christ, everyone is obliged to make
a tenacious effort to remain loyal to the teaching of Christ. No one is exempt.
If the shepherds do not themselves strive to acquire a sensitive conscience and
to remain faithful to dogma and moral teaching — which make up the deposit of
faith and the inheritance of all — then the prophetic words of Ezekiel will he borne
out: ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say
to them, even to the shepherds, thus says the Lord God: Ho, shepherds of Is-
rael who have been feeding yourselves! [...] This is a strong reproof, but the
offence against God is even worse when those who have received the task of
promoting the spiritual welfare of everyone abuse souls instead, depriving them
of the crystal water of baptism, which regenerates the soul; of the soothing oil
of confirmation, which strengthens it; of the tribunal which pardons; of the food
which gives eternal life” (St Josemaria Escrivá, Christ Is Passing By, 81).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

From: Matthew 20:1-16

The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard

---

[1] “For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a householder who went out early in the
morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. [2] After agreeing with the laborers for
a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. [3] And going out about the
third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place; [4] and to them he
said, `You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they
went. [5] Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the
same. [6] And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing;
and he said to them, `Why do you stand here idle all day?’ [7] They said to him,
`Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, `You go into the vineyard too.’
[8] And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, `Call
the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’
[9] And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received
a denarius. [10] Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more;
but each of them also received a denarius. [11] And on receiving it they grumbled
at the householder, [12] saying, `These last worked only one hour, and you have
made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching
heat.’ [13] But he replied to one of them, `Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did
you not agree with me for a denarius? [14] Take what belongs to you, and go;
I choose to give to this last as I give to you. [15] Am I not allowed to do what I
choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity? [16] So
the last will be first, and the first last.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

1-16. This parable is addressed to the Jewish people, whom God called at an ear-
ly hour, centuries ago. Now the Gentiles are also being called — with an equal
right to form part of the new people of God, the Church. In both cases it is a mat-
ter of a gratuitous, unmerited, invitation; there- fore, those who were the “first” to
receive the call have no grounds for complaining when God calls the “last” and
gives them the same reward — membership of His people. At first sight the labo-
rers of the first hour seem to have a genuine grievance—because they do not rea-
lize that to have a job in the Lord’s vineyard is a divine gift. Jesus leaves us in
no doubt that although He calls us to follow different ways, all receive the same
reward—Heaven.

2. “Denarius”: a silver coin bearing an image of Caesar Augustus (Matthew 22:
19-21).

3. The Jewish method of calculating time was different from ours. They divided
the whole day into eight parts, four night parts (called “watches”) and four day
parts (called “hours”)—the first, third, sixth and ninth hour.

The first hour began at sunrise and ended around nine o’clock; the third ran to
twelve noon; the sixth to three in the afternoon; and the ninth from three to sun-
set. This meant that the first and ninth hours varied in length, decreasing in au-
tumn and winter and increasing in spring and summer and the reverse happening
with the first and fourth watches.

Sometimes intermediate hours were counted—as for example in verse 6 which
refers to the eleventh hour, the short period just before sunset, the end of the
working day.

16. The Vulgate, other translations and a good many Greek codexes add: “For
many are called, but few are chosen” (cf. Matthew 22:14).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

[Salvation]

Scripture readings taken from the Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd

Mass Readings

First reading

Ezekiel 34:1 - 11 ©

The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows: Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: Shepherds, the Lord says this: Trouble for the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shepherds ought to feed their flock, yet you have fed on milk, you have dressed yourselves in wool, you have sacrificed the fattest sheep, but failed to feed the flock. You have failed to make weak sheep strong, or to care for the sick ones, or bandage the wounded ones. You have failed to bring back strays or look for the lost. On the contrary, you have ruled them cruelly and violently. For lack of a shepherd they have scattered, to become the prey of any wild animal; they have scattered far. My flock is straying this way and that, on mountains and on high hills; my flock has been scattered all over the country; no one bothers about them and no one looks for them. Well then, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. As I live, I swear it–it is the Lord who speaks–since my flock has been looted and for lack of a shepherd is now the prey of any wild animal, since my shepherds have stopped bothering about my flock, since my shepherds feed themselves rather than my flock, in view of all this, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. The Lord says this: I am going to call the shepherds to account. I am going to take my flock back from them and I shall not allow them to feed my flock. In this way the shepherds will stop feeding themselves. I shall rescue my sheep from their mouths; they will not prey on them any more. For the Lord says this: I am going to look after my flock myself and keep all of it in view.

Psalm or canticle	Psalm 22 (23)
The good shepherd
The Lord is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing. He has taken me to green pastures,  he has led me to still waters;  he has healed my spirit. He has led me along right paths  for his own name’s sake. Even if I walk in the valley of the shadow of death,  I shall fear no evil, for you are with me:  your rod and your staff give me comfort. You have set a table before me  in the sight of my enemies. You have anointed my head with oil,  and my cup overflows. Truly goodness and kindness will follow me  all the days of my life. For long years I shall live  in the house of the Lord.

Gospel

Matthew 20:1 - 16 ©

Jesus said, ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day, and sent them to his vineyard. Going out at about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place and said to them, “You go to my vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage.” So they went. At about the sixth hour and again at about the ninth hour, he went out and did the same. Then at about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing round, and he said to them, “Why have you been standing here idle all day?” “Because no one has hired us” they answered. He said to them, “You go into my vineyard too.” In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first.” So those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner. “The men who came last” they said “have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day’s work in all the heat.” He answered one of them and said, “My friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the last comer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why be envious because I am generous?” Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.’

[Salvation]

Wednesday, August 20, 2008
St. Bernard, Abbot, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Ezekiel 34:1-11 Psalm 23:1-6 Matthew 20:1-16 To work with an intention of acquiring more glory in Heaven is good, but the more perfect is the desire to give glory to God. Let us be sure that the more we divest ourselves of earthly interests, so much the more our Savior will increase our joy in Paradise. -- St. Bernard

[Salvation]

The Angelus 

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary: 
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen. 

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word. 

Hail Mary . . . 

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us. 

Hail Mary . . . 

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. 

Let us pray: 

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen. 

[Salvation]

Office of Readings and Invitatory Psalm

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 102 (103)

Praise of the compassionate Lord

My soul, bless the Lord!
 All that is in me, bless his holy name.
My soul, bless the Lord!
 Never forget all he has done for you.

The Lord, who forgives your wrongdoing,
 who heals all your weaknesses.
The Lord, who redeems your life from destruction,
 who crowns you with kindness and compassion.
The Lord, who fills your age with good things,
 who renews your youth like an eagle’s.
The Lord, who gives fair judgements,
 who gives judgement in favour of the oppressed.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Psalm 102 (103)

The Lord is compassion and kindness,
 full of patience, full of mercy.
He will not fight against you for ever:
 he will not always be angry.
He does not treat us as our sins deserve;
 he does not pay us back for our wrongdoing.

As high as the sky above the earth,
 so great is his kindness to those who fear him.
As far as east is from west,
 so far he has put our wrongdoing from us.
As a father cares for his children,
 so the Lord cares for those who fear him.

For he knows how we are made,
 he remembers we are nothing but dust.
Man – his life is like grass,
 he blossoms and withers like flowers of the field.
The wind blows and carries him away:
 no trace of him remains.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Psalm 102 (103)

The Lord has been kind from the beginning;
 to those who fear him his kindness lasts for ever.
His justice is for their children’s children,
 for those who keep his covenant,
 for those who remember his commandments
 and try to perform them.
The Lord’s throne is high in the heavens
 and his rule shall extend over all.

Bless the Lord, all his angels,
 strong in your strength, doers of his command,
 bless him as you hear his words.
Bless the Lord, all his powers,
 his servants who do his will.
Bless the Lord, all he has created,
 in every place that he rules.
My soul, bless the Lord!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Reading

Isaiah 9:8 - 10:4 ©

The Lord hurls a word against Jacob, it falls on Israel. All the people of Ephraim and all the inhabitants of Samaria know it. In their pride they have said, speaking in the arrogance of their heart, ‘The bricks have fallen down, then we will build with dressed stone; the sycamores have been cut down, we will put cedars in their place.’ But the Lord is marshalling his people’s enemies against them, he is stirring up their foes: to the east, Aram, to the west, the Philistines devour Israel with gaping jaw. Yet his anger is not spent, still his hand is raised to strike. But the people have not come back to him who struck them, they have not come looking for the Lord of Hosts; hence the Lord has cut head and tail from Israel, palm branch and reed in a single day. (The ‘head’ is the elder and the man of rank; the ‘tail’, the prophet with lying vision.) This people’s leaders have taken the wrong turning, and those who are led are lost. And so the Lord will not spare their young men, will have no pity for their orphans and widows. Since the whole people is godless and evil, its speech is madness. Yet his anger is not spent, still his hand is raised to strike. Yes, wickedness burns like a fire: it consumes briar and thorn, it sets the forest thickets alight and columns of smoke go rolling upwards. The land is set aflame by the wrath of the Lord of Hosts and the people are food for the fire. Not one spares his brother, each devours the flesh of his neighbour. On the right side they carve and still are hungry, on the left they devour and are not satisfied. Manasseh devours Ephraim, Ephraim Manasseh, and both hurl themselves on Judah. Yet his anger is not spent, still his hand is raised to strike.

---

Reading	From a sermon by St. Bernard, abbot
I love because I love, I love that I may love
Love is sufficient of itself, it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in its practice. I love because I love, I love that I may love. Love is a great thing so long as it continually returns to its fountainhead, flows back to its source, always drawing from there the water which constantly replenishes it. Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all he desires is to be loved in return; the sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him. The Bridegroom’s love, or rather the love which is the Bridegroom, asks in return nothing but faithful love. Let the beloved, then, love in return. Should not a bride love, and above all, Love’s bride? Could it be that Love not be loved? Rightly then does she give up all other feelings and give herself wholly to love alone; in giving love back, all she can do is to respond to love. And when she has poured out her whole being in love, what is that in comparison with the unceasing torrent of that original source? Clearly, lover and Love, soul and Word, bride and Bridegroom, creature and Creator do not flow with the same volume; one might as well equate a thirsty man with the fountain. What then of the bride’s hope, her aching desire, her passionate love, her confident assurance? Is all this to wilt just because she cannot match stride for stride with her giant, any more than she can vie with honey for sweetness, rival the lamb for gentleness, show herself as white as the lily, burn as bright as the sun, be equal in love with him who is Love? No. It is true that the creature loves less because she is less. But if she loves with her whole being, nothing is lacking where everything is given. To love so ardently then is to share the marriage bond; she cannot love so much and not be totally loved, and it is in the perfect union of two hearts that complete and total marriage consists. Or are we to doubt that the soul is loved by the Word first and with a greater love?

---

Concluding Prayer

O God, no-one has ever seen gifts like those you have prepared for your loving servants.
 Fill our hearts with your love; may we love and serve you in all things and above all things,
 and receive from you gifts that surpass all our desires.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
 who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
 God for ever and ever.
Amen.

[Salvation]

St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

Saint Bernard,
Abbot and Doctor of the Church
Memorial
August 20th

Girolamo Pesce (Pesci)
Saint Bernard before Mary
1725-Oil on canvas, 330 x 205 cm
Hétkápolna, Vác

(1090-1153) Born in France, Bernard was a Cistercian abbot and legendary speaker who fought for the peace and unity of the Church against schism. He wrote many treatises on the Blessed Virgin and Jesus Christ, as well as many works of theology and ascetism. His life manifested a profound recognition of the importance of obedience in one's spiritual life.

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

 

Collect:
Heavenly Father,
St. Bernard was filled with zeal for Your house
and was a radiant light in Your Church.
By his prayers
may we be filled with this spirit of zeal
and walk always as children of light.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.



First Reading: Ecclesiasticus 15:1-6
The man who fears the Lord will do this, and he who holds to the law will obtain wisdom. She will come to meet him like a mother, and like the wife of his youth she will welcome him. She will feed him with the bread of understanding, and give him the water of wisdom to drink. He will lean on her and will not fall, and he will rely on her and will not be put to shame. She will exalt him above his neighbors,
and will open his mouth in the midst of the assembly. He will find gladness and a crown of rejoicing, and will acquire an everlasting name.


Gospel Reading: John 17:20-26
Jesus raised His eyes to heaven and said: "Father, I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. The glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them, that they may be one even as We are one, I in them and Thou in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me and hast loved them even as Thou hast loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, may be with Me where I am, to behold My glory which Thou hast given Me in Thy love for Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world has not known Thee, but I have known thee; and these know that Thou hast sent Me. I made known to them Thy name, and I will make it known, that the love with which Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings (on USCCB site):
» August 20, 2008
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Collect: Heavenly Father, Saint Bernard was filled with zeal for your house and was a radiant light in your Church. By his prayers may we be filled with this spirit of zeal and walk always as children of light. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Memorial of St. Bernard, abbot and doctor
Old Calendar: St. Bernard

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St. Bernard (1090-1153) was born near Dijon and died in Clairvaux, France. He was of a noble family and received a careful education in his youth. With his father, brother and thirty noblemen he entered the Benedictine monastery of Citeaux. Two years later he led a group of monks to establish a house at Clairvaux, and became its abbot. The monastic rule which he perfected at Clairvaux became the model for 163 monasteries of the Cistercian reform. He was a theologian, poet, orator, and writer. He is sometimes considered as a Father of the Church.

---

St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Bernard, the second founder of the Cistercians, the Mellifluous Doctor, the apostle of the Crusades, the miracle-worker, the reconciler of kings, the leader of peoples, the counselor of popes! His sermons, from which there are many excerpts in the Breviary, are conspicuous for genuine emotion and spiritual unction. The celebrated Memorare is ascribed to him.

Bernard was born in 1090, the third son of an illustrious Burgundian family. At the age of twenty-two he entered the monastery of Citeaux (where the Cistercian Order had its beginning) and persuaded thirty other youths of noble rank to follow his example. Made abbot of Clairvaux (1115), he erected numerous abbeys where his spirit flourished. To his disciple, Bernard of Pisa, who later became Pope Eugene III, he dedicated his work De Consideratione. Bernard's influence upon the princes, the clergy, and the people of his age was most remarkable. By penitential practices he so exhausted his body that it could hardly sustain his soul, ever eager to praise and honor God.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

Patron: beekeepers; bees; candlemakers; chandlers; wax-melters; wax refiners; Gibraltar; Queens College, Cambridge.

Symbols: beehive; bees; three mitres on a book; white dog; inkhorn and pen; Passion implements; fettered demon; book.
Often Portrayed As: Cistercian having a vision of Mary; Cistercian with a beehive; Cistercian with a chained demon; Cistercian with a mitre on the ground beside him; Cistercian with a swarm of bees nearby; Cistercian with a white dog; Cistercian writing and watching Mary.

Things to Do:

• Though of a rich and noble family St. Bernard continually asked the question: "For what purpose are you on earth?" Spend some time today in front of the Blessed Sacrament and ask yourself this question.

• Because St. Bernard is the patron of candlemakers, a great project would be to learn how to make candles. Candles 101 discusses in brief about making homemade candles, rolled, dipped and molded. Practicing making candles now will help in preparing to make a family Christ Candle for Advent and Paschal Candle for Easter.

• Read more about the life of St. Bernard.

• This site — complete with words and midi files — features hymns written by St. Bernard.

• Learn more about the Cistercian Order founded by St. Bernard.

• From the Catholic Culture library: Preaching Conversion Through The Beatitudes: Bernard Of Clairvaux's Ad Clericos De Conversione and Pope Pius XII On St. Bernard Of Clairvaux, The Last Of The Fathers.

[Salvation]

Doctors of the Catholic Church

Saint Bernard had more visibility, eloquence, and influence in his church and country than anyone of his day. The more he withdrew from secular affairs, the more kings, popes and bishops sought him. He was loved, hated, and the man of the twelfth century.

Bernard of Clairvaux is the eloquent and devotional doctor of the church. No other doctor or saint influenced more of his own family, friends, and relatives to join him in the service of God in religion than this humble monk. His charisma and holiness made him most noticeable and in demand by both church and country.

This holy priest and abbot efforts in the Crusades were a dismal failure to make it known that might never makes right. His dedication especially to the Mother of God, St Mary, are well known and he is considered the last of the Fathers of the Church and a great Marian Doctor.

St. Bernard, 1091-1153. Devotional and Eloquent Doctor, Feast Aug 20th.

[Salvation]

St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux: Biography and Online Writings 

Doctor of the Church

 

St. Bernard of  Clairvaux is clearly one of the greatest preachers of all time.  Born to a noble family near Dijon France in 1090 AD, St. Bernard was inspired by the example of a new religious congregation, the Cistercians, who had abandoned the relative ease and security of Benedictine monasticism of that day to live according to the primitive pattern of St. Benedict through hard manual labor, solitude, and rigorous prayer.  When St. Bernard decided to abandon the privilege of noble life to enter the monastery, he brought over 30 noble relatives with him.  Once professed he was very soon made abbot and went on to found over 40 monasteries in his lifetime.  St. Bernard's magnetic preaching and exemplary character changed the lives of thousands and his writing continues today to inspire Christians everywhere.  His words were so sweet that he came to be known as the Melifluous ("full of honey") Doctor.  St. Bernard died in 1153 and was later proclaimed a saint and a Doctor of the Church.  His feast day in the Roman Calendar is August 20.

 

Annunciation and Mary's Fiat--St Bernard	Advent & Christmas Resources, Blessed Virgin Mary	Yes	Download
Guardian Angels--St. Bernard	Prayer and Spirituality	Yes
Harden Not your Hearts--Bernard of Clairvaux	Lent and Holy Week Resources, Prayer and Spirituality	Yes	Download
Importance of the Saints-Bernard of Clairvaux	Virtues & Christian Character, Catholic Saints	Yes
Love of Bridegroom and Bride - St. Bernard of Clairvaux	Prayer and Spirituality, Marriage and Family	Yes
Meditate on the Mysteries-Bernard of Clairvaux	Prayer and Spirituality, Blessed Virgin Mary	Yes
Our Lady of Sorrows--Bernard of Clairvaux	Blessed Virgin Mary, Passion of Christ	Yes
Seek Wisdom-Bernard of Clairvaux	Prayer and Spirituality	Yes	Download
Three Comings of the Lord--St. Bernard	Advent & Christmas Resources	Yes	Download
Wounds of Christ-Saint Bernard	Lent and Holy Week Resources	No

[Salvation]

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 107 (108)

Praise of the Lord and a plea for help

My heart is ready, O God –
 my heart is ready.
 I shall sing and make music.
Awake, my glory!
 Rise up, harp and lyre!
 We will awaken the dawn.

I will proclaim you to the peoples, O Lord,
 sing of you to the nations:
for your kindness is great, it reaches the heavens;
 great is your faithfulness, high as the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
 let your glory stretch over the earth.
Give deliverance to your beloved,
 let your right hand bring safety – answer my prayer!

God has spoken from his holy place:
“I shall triumph, dividing Shechem,
 measuring off the vale of Succoth.
Gilead is mine, mine is Manasseh;
 Ephraim my helmet, Judah my sceptre.
But Moab shall be my wash-basin,
 on Edom I will place my sandal;
 I will cry in triumph over the Philistine.”

Who shall lead me to the fortified city?
 Who shall lead me to Edom?
Surely you, God – although you rejected us.
 Will you not come out, O God, with our armies?
Give us help in our troubles,
 for vain is the help of man.
With God we shall triumph –
 he will trample our enemies.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Canticle	Isaiah 61-62
The prophet rejoices over the new Jerusalem
I will rejoice with joy in the Lord,  and my spirit shall be joyful in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation  and wrapped me round with the robe of justice, like a bridegroom decked with a crown,  like a bride adorned with her jewels. Just as the earth sends up its shoots,  and the garden makes its seeds to sprout, so the Lord God will make justice spring up  and praise before all the nations. For Sion’s sake I will not be silent,  for the sake of Jerusalem I will not be still until her justice comes forth as brightness,  and her salvation is lit up like a torch. And the Gentiles shall see your justice,  and all the kings see your glory. You shall be called by a new name,  chosen by the mouth of the Lord. You shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord,  a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer called “Forsaken,”  your land no longer called “Desolate,” you will be called “My pleasure in her,”  and your land “The Wedded”; for the Lord has been well pleased with you,  and your land will receive its bridegroom. For as a young man takes a virgin to wife,  so will your sons take you; and as a husband takes joy in his spouse,  so your God will rejoice at you. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.

---

Psalm 145 (146)

The blessedness of those who hope in the Lord

Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life, make music to my God as long as I exist.

Do not trust in princes to save you, they are only sons of men.
One day their breath will leave them, they will return to the ground; on that day perish all their plans.

Happy the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth and all that is in them,
who keeps faith for ever, who gives justice to the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry.

The Lord frees prisoners, he gives light to the blind, he raises the fallen.
The Lord loves the upright, cares for strangers, sustains orphans and widows; but the wicked he sends astray.

The Lord will reign for all ages, your God, O Sion, from generation to generation.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Short reading	Deuteronomy 4:39 - 40 ©
Understand this today, therefore, and take it to heart: the Lord is God indeed, in heaven above as on earth beneath, he and no other. Keep his laws and commandments as I give them to you today.

---

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.

---

Prayers and Intercessions

?

Christ, through whom his Father’s glory shines, enlightens us by his word. With love we pray to him: - King of eternal glory, hear us. Blessed are you – our faith comes from you and leads us to you as its fulfilment: you have called us out of the shadows into your wonderful light. You opened the eyes of the blind and made the deaf hear: help us when we do not believe. Lord, may we remain always in your love: let us never be separated. Make us resist temptation, and when troubles come, give us endurance: but when things go well for us, may we remember to give you thanks.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
 hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
 thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
 and forgive us our trespasses
 as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
 but deliver us from evil.

Lord, remember the new covenant, which has been sealed with the blood of the Lamb.
 May your people receive forgiveness for their sins
 and move ever forward towards redemption.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
 who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
 God for ever and ever.
Amen.

---

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 20:1-16

View NAB Reading at USCCB.org »»

Are you envious because I am generous? (Matthew 20:15)

Jesus’ parable about a landowner who favors late workers who do practically nothing over hardworking laborers who sweat and toil all day can seem awfully unfair and unjust. Aren’t we right to expect a fair wage and just compensation for an honest day’s work? And shouldn’t we avoid any form of favoritism and unfairness in the workplace? So the question is whether Jesus really was condoning unfair practices. Or was he simply trying to get his listeners to consider how extravagant God’s love and mercy can be?

A little background information on the work practices in Jesus’ time may help us grasp Jesus’ point a little more easily. Most people in Palestine could not afford to set up their own business or learn a trade. Instead, they had to hire themselves out as day-laborers. They would go to the market square each morning and wait for a landowner or steward to hire them for some job, such as harvesting the fruit of the vineyard or field. This practice can still be seen today in Jerusalem, as day workers pour into market squares in the early morning waiting to be hired for work projects. To stand idle all day without any work usually meant returning home empty-handed. And no money earned meant no food on the table.

So when the owner of the vineyard in Jesus’ parable hired idle workers at the last hour of work, he was showing compassion for those who didn’t get hired by anyone else. The owner didn’t want to see anyone who was willing to work return home with nothing. That’s why he gave them a full day’s wages—so that they would have enough for their families to live on that day.

God is like this landowner. He doesn’t want to see us suffering or in want. His love overcomes the logic of what we “deserve” and gives us instead what we “need.” He doesn’t just forgive us our sins and tell us to try a little harder to do good. No, he lavishes us with the gifts of his kingdom, supplying not only what we lack but giving us more than we can expect. Let this truth fill your heart and mind with amazement and gratitude today!

“Lord, your love knows no bounds. Fill my heart with gratitude for the gifts you lavish upon me every day.”

Ezekiel 34:1-11; Psalm 23:1-6

[Salvation]

Regnum Christi

Working for God
August 20, 2008

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go.

Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Father José LaBoy, LC

Matthew 20: 1-16
Jesus told his disciples this parable: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o´clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ´You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.´ So they went off. And he went out again around noon, and around three o´clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o´clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ´Why do you stand here idle all day?´ They answered, ´Because no one has hired us.´ He said to them, ´You too go into my vineyard.´ When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ´Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.´ When those who had started about five o´clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ´These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day´s burden and the heat.´ He said to one of them in reply, ´My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?´ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Introductory Prayer: Dear Jesus, I believe in you because you have revealed your plan of love to the Church. I hope in you because you are more interested in my happiness and salvation than I am. I love you because you have loved me without my deserving your love.

Petition: Lord, help me to trust in your grace.

1. There Is Always an Opportunity
One of the worst experiences is to accept that you have lost the last opportunity to do something you have always wanted to do. This can occur in any human situation: job opportunities, university acceptances, etc. In the spiritual life, on the other hand, there is always the opportunity to live only for God, the opportunity to be redeemed. There is always the possibility to start again. Why is this? It is because God has granted us our time on earth to walk towards him. Therefore, even if we fall, he continues to give us the strength to get up. That is why the sacrament of reconciliation is so important. When we lose grace, our spiritual strength, we can regain it in the sacraments, especially in confession.

2. Expecting More Than You Deserve
Considered from a merely human point of view, this Gospel’s situation is an unjust one. Whoever works more should receive more than those who work less. We tend to forget, however, that in terms of the spiritual, everything is a gift. There is nothing in our nature that can demand grace. The demands of our faith are not “favors” we do for God, but existential obligations. That is why Christ reminds us, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ´We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do´” (Luke 17:10).

3. The Generosity of God
God’s generosity is a manifestation of his love for us. He knows each and every person intimately and personally. He knows that the needs of some are bigger than those of others. To think that God loves some people more than others is an injustice to God. We owe love and respect to others because we are all human persons with the same dignity. We owe adoration and love to God because he is our creator and provident Father. But God owes nothing to his creatures. Everything he gives us is gratuitous and a fruit of his infinite love. It’s too easy to treat God in a human way, forgetting that he is God. The most beautiful gift he gives us is his grace.

Conversation with Christ: Dear Lord, I sometimes see things from a very human and selfish point of view. Sometimes I find myself getting angry because others may have more than I do. Some may seem to be without problems, and I consider that they don’t deserve to be happy. Help me understand that the most important thing to be truly happy in my life is to be aware of the need I have of your grace.

Resolution: I will thank Christ for his grace and love and will try to imitate him by being generous to others.

[annalex]

Mt 20:1-16
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
1	The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.	simile est enim regnum caelorum homini patri familias qui exiit primo mane conducere operarios in vineam suam
2	And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.	autem facta cum operariis ex denario diurno misit eos in vineam suam
3	And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the marketplace idle.	et egressus circa horam tertiam vidit alios stantes in foro otiosos
4	And he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.	et illis dixit ite et vos in vineam et quod iustum fuerit dabo vobis
5	And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.	illi autem abierunt iterum autem exiit circa sextam et nonam horam et fecit similiter
6	But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle?	circa undecimam vero exiit et invenit alios stantes et dicit illis quid hic statis tota die otiosi
7	They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go ye also into my vineyard.	dicunt ei quia nemo nos conduxit dicit illis ite et vos in vineam
8	And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.	cum sero autem factum esset dicit dominus vineae procuratori suo voca operarios et redde illis mercedem incipiens a novissimis usque ad primos
9	When therefore they were come that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.	cum venissent ergo qui circa undecimam horam venerant acceperunt singulos denarios
10	But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: And they also received every man a penny.	venientes autem et primi arbitrati sunt quod plus essent accepturi acceperunt autem et ipsi singulos denarios
11	And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,	et accipientes murmurabant adversus patrem familias
12	Saying: These last have worked but one hour. and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.	dicentes hii novissimi una hora fecerunt et pares illos nobis fecisti qui portavimus pondus diei et aestus
13	But he answering said to one of them: friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?	at ille respondens uni eorum dixit amice non facio tibi iniuriam nonne ex denario convenisti mecum
14	Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.	tolle quod tuum est et vade volo autem et huic novissimo dare sicut et tibi
15	Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? Is thy eye evil, because I am good?	aut non licet mihi quod volo facere an oculus tuus nequam est quia ego bonus sum
16	So shall the last be first and the first last. For many are called but few chosen.	sic erunt novissimi primi et primi novissimi multi sunt enim vocati pauci autem electi

1. For the kingdom of heaven is like to a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard.
2. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place,
4. And said to them; Go you also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.
5. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.
6. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and said to them, Why stand you here all the day idle?
7. They say to him, Because no man has hired us. He said to them, Go you also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall you receive.
8. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last to the first.
9. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.
11. And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house,
12. Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and you has made them equal to us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
13. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do you no wrong: did not you agree with me for a penny?
14. Take what is yours, and go your way: I will give to this last, even as to you.
15. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with my own? Is your eye evil, because I am good?
16. So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

REMIG; To establish the truth of this saying, There are many, first that shall be last, and last first, the Lord subjoins a similitude.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; The Master of the household is Christ, whose house are the heavens and the earth; and the creatures of the heavens, and the earth, and beneath the earth, his family. His vineyard is righteousness, in which are set divers sorts of righteousness as vines, as meekness, chastity, patience, and the other virtues; all of which are called by one common name righteousness. Men are the cultivators of this vineyard, whence it is said, Who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. For God placed His righteousness in our senses, not for His own but for our benefit. Know then that we are the hired laborers.

But as no man gives wages to a laborer, to the end he should do nothing save only to eat, so likewise we were not thereto called by Christ, that we should labor such things only as pertain to our own good, but to the glory of God. And like as the hired laborer looks first to his task, and after to his daily food, so ought we to mind first those things which concern the glory of God, then those which concern our own profit. Also as the hired laborer occupies the whole day in his Lord's work, and takes but a single hour for his own meal; so ought we to occupy our whole life in the glory of God, taking but a very small portion of it for the uses of this world. And as the hired laborer when he has done no work is ashamed that day to enter the house, and ask his food; how should not you be ashamed to enter the church, and stand before the face of God, when you have done nothing good in the sight of God?

GREG; Or; The Master of the household, that is, our Maker, has a vineyard, that is, the Church universal, which has borne so many stocks, as many saints as it has put forth from righteous Abel to the very last saint who shall be born in the end of the world. To instruct this His people as for the dressing of a vineyard, the Lord has never ceased to send out His laborers; first by the Patriarchs, next by the teachers of the Law, then by the Prophets, and at the last by the Apostles, He has toiled ill the cultivation of His vineyard; though every man, in whatsoever measure or degree he has joined good action with right faith, has been a laborer in the vineyard.

ORIGEN; For the whole of this present life may be called one day, long to us, short compared to the existence of God.

GREG; The morning is that age of the world which was from Adam and Noah, and therefore it is said, Who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. The terms of their hiring He adds, And when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day.

ORIGEN; The denarius I suppose here to mean salvation.

REMIG; A denarius was a coin anciently equal to ten sesterces, and bearing the king's image. Well therefore does the denarius represent the reward of the keeping of the decalogue. And that, Having agreed with them for a denarius a day, is well said, to show that every man labors in the field of the holy Church in hope of the future reward.

GREG. The third hour is the period from Noah to Abraham; of which it is said, And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the market-place idle.

ORIGEN; The market-place is all that is without the vineyard, that is, without the Church of Christ.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; For in this world men live by buying and selling, and gain their support by defrauding each other.

GREG; He that lives to himself, and feeds on the delights of the flesh, is lightly accused as idle, forasmuch as he does not seek the fruit of godly labor.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; Or; The idle are not sinners, for they are called dead. But he is idle who w works not the work of God. Do you desire to be not idle? Take not that which is another's; and give of that which is your own, and you have labored in the Lord's vineyard, cultivating the vine of mercy. It follows, And he said to them, Go you also into my vineyard. Observe that it is with the first alone that He agrees upon the sum to be given, a denarius; the others are hired on no express stipulation, but What is right I will give you. For the Lord knowing that Adam would fall, and that all should hereafter perish in the deluge, made conditions for him, that he should never say that he therefore neglected righteousness, because he knew not what reward he should have. But with the rest He made no contract, seeing He was prepared to give more than the laborers could hope.

ORIGEN; Or, He did not call upon the laborers of the third hour for a complete task, but left to their own choice, how much they should work. For they might perform in the vineyard work equal to that of those who had wrought since the morning, if they chose to put forth upon their task an operative energy, such as had not yet been exerted.

GREG; The sixth hour is that from Abraham to Moses, the ninth that from Moses to the coming of the Lord.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; These two hours are coupled together, because in the sixth and ninth it was that He called the generation of the Jews, and multiplied to publish His testaments among men, whereas the appointed time of salvation now drew nigh.

GREG; The eleventh hour is that from the coming of the Lord to the end of the world. The laborer in the morning, at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, denotes the ancient Hebrew people, which in its elect from the very beginning of the world, while it zealously and with right faith served the Lord, ceased not to labor in the husbandry of the vineyard. But at the eleventh the Gentiles are called. For they who through so many ages of the world had neglected to labor for their living, were they who had stood the whole day idle.

But consider their answer; They say to him, Because no man has hired us; for neither Patriarch nor Prophet had come to them. And what is it to say, No man has hired us, but to say, None has preached to us the way of life.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; For what is our hiring, and the wages of that hiring? The promise of eternal life; for the Gentiles knew neither God, nor God's promises.

HILARY; These then are sent into the vineyard, Go you also into my vineyard.

RABAN; But when they had rendered their day's task, at the fitting time for payment, When even was come, that is, when the day of this world was drawing to its close.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; Consider, He gives the reward not the next morning, but in the evening. Thus the judgment shall take p